22 days to Miami football: Sheldrick Redwine 2018 preview

Sheldrick Redwine is often the forgotten member of the trio of returning starters in the Miami secondary. Redwine was a big part of the Miami football team that among the national leaders in turnovers last season.

Redwine had a very productive season in 2017 despite having to learn a new position. He was switched from cornerback to safety for the 2017 season. Redwine was in the top five on the Miami football team in several defensive categories.

Redwine was fourth with 59 total tackles, tied for third with two interceptions, six pass breakups and one fumble recovery and second with two forced fumbles. The biggest game of Redwine’s career came in last season’s loss to Pittsburgh. He amassed 12 tackles, had one pass breakup and one forced fumble.

That was the beginning of the best stretch of games in Redwine’s career. A lot of focus has been placed on the Miami football team’s three-game losing streak to end 2017. Redwine was one of the bright spots. He finished with 26 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup and two forced fumbles in the losses to end the season.

Miami Hurricanes safeties coach Ephraim Banda spoke to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson about the work the Senior Safety put in during the offseason.

"“I am extremely hard on Sheldrick. He’s a guy I coach different from the others. Sometimes he gets frustrated with me, but he knows now I am going to coach him hard and knows I love him. I am proud of him.He was better at looking at film [this spring], making more plays in practice. Sheldrick is a six-footer, he has the measurables everybody sees. I told him, ‘You should be better than Jaquan (Johnson).’ I challenged him.He had three or four interceptions [in the spring, after two last season. A couple years ago,] he dropped those. We worked hard at that. We threw tennis type balls that are hard to track; that forces you to bring your hands together. His hands were an issue but have improved dramatically. I expect him to be an All-American and All-ACC.”"

Playing next to Jaquan Johnson who was named the best safety in the country by Sports Illustrated, a first-team All-American by UPI and first-team All-ACC in the preseason, it will be difficult to live up to Banda’s prediction.

Miami cornerback Michael Jackson was also selected as a UPI’s first-team All-American and first-team All-ACC in the preseason. It would be almost unprecedented to have three players in the same secondary named All-Americans.

Redwine played mostly on special teams as a Freshman, He got a chance to contribute as a Sophomore when former Miami defensive back Antonio Crawford left for West Virginia.

Redwine made five starts at cornerback in his Sophomore season in 2016. He finished the season with 28 tackles, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

We discussed how Crawford’s departure would help Redwine in a 2016 blog post. Our assertion that Crawford’s departure would help Redwine for 2016 and beyond was perceptive.

"“The playing time that Redwine received will continue to pay dividends for the final four games of this season and the 2017 and ’18 seasons.”"

Redwine has gone from a part-time starter in 2016 to one of the team leaders entering this season. He is part of a very experienced Miami defense. Seven starters return on the Hurricanes defense. That includes five starters entering their third season with the first string.

Redwine takes his leadership role seriously. He told CaneSport he intends to be a Senior and lead the team. Redwine also said that a goal is to correct his mistakes and turn his weaknesses into stengths. If Redwine can come close to reaching Banda’s projections for him, Miami can have one of the best secondaries in the country.